The Kings Mistress Chapter 165

[ … words ]

Aether nodded, “Yes but only if you want to. Opal wanted to ask for your permission to do so. She’s… taken quite the liking towards you which is rare.”

“That might be because we’ve known each other since she hatched from an egg,” Sierra added.

“That… would explain it,” returning back to his original question, “So would you like to establish a telepathic connection with Opal?”

Sierra bit her lip. Opal and her always had a connection, they practically grew up alongside each other. She remembered how she first chanced upon her egg. She’s been living on her own for sometime in the forest, having learned to hunt and survive on her own from a hermit.

She had never learned his name but she was grateful for all that he had done for her. She was hunting for food, when she happened to find a snake’s nest that had been torn apart. But from the corner of her eye, she spotted a soft white shell covered by leaves and twigs.

She picked it up, feeling it wriggle and pulsate in her hand. She knew there was something special about it and she was right. It took a whole other month before Opal came to be. From the moment she laid eyes upon her, they had an instant connection.

“I’m willing to,” Sierra responded with a smile, “as long as Opal is willing to as well. It won’t harm her, right?”

“No harm will come to her, fret not,” Aether reassured her.

Vy leaned her chin on her hand, “How exciting!”

Sierra giggled as she asked Aether if there was anything she needed to prepare. The serpent shook his head. The bond that she shared with Opal was strong enough, no external enhancements were needed.

Aether drew a connection between Opal and Sierra, a magical string made of light connecting both of their minds. He muttered beneath his breath, a series of ancient incantations Sierra could not quite understand.

When he finished, Sierra noticed immediately that there was something different in her mind. It felt as if a path in her mind, that had been previously barricaded, was now cleared.

’Can you hear me?’ Though Opal had not spoken those exact words, that was the thoughts in which Sierra could hear in her mind.

’Yes, I can, is that you, Opal?’ Sierra responded back through the telepathic connection instead of speaking out loud.

The snake perked up immediately, hissing and moving her tail. She slithered over to Sierra, resting on her palm as she chimed with excitement and joy. Sierra could feel her emotions, represented through soft chimes in her mind.

“Thank you, Aether. We are in your debt,” Sierra thanked him, and so did Opal.

“It was but a simple matter, you need not thank me,” Aether replied as he lowered his head.

~

A few days later, Sierra found herself in a completely different city. It was unlike the cities in Cair or Drakin. She marveled at everything fresh and new around her, wanting to explore every street.

But she shook her head and recentered her focus as she followed Vy and Dygo carefully across the roads. She had followed them here for a specific purpose. She was going to make her gift for Alistair.

Vy and Dygo brought her through a few streets, before arriving at a stand-alone building in the heart of the city they were in.

“This is your home?” Sierra asked as she looked up at the building before her.

She had never seen a building that had more than five floors, yet the one before her had ten or more. She could barely see the roof.

“Yup! It’s even bigger on the inside,” Vy mused as she grabbed hold of Sierra’s hand and pulled her in.

“Bigger?” Sierra gulped as she was led into the building.

“Vy and I like to collect things and over time… we simply needed more and more room for our things,” Dygo explained.

“Yes, that’s why we have multiple houses scattered across Gaeia. We like to travel too and that’s part of the reason why,” Vy added.

Sierra stood in the foyer, stunned by the decor of the room. It was unlike anything she was used to. It was not overly stimulating, like most castle rooms she had seen. In fact, it almost felt a little empty compared to what she was used to seeing.

“Vy! Vy! You’re back!” A male voice echoed through the room.

Moments later, a young man appeared, rushing down the long flight of stairs in the centre of the room. With a bright smile on his face, he almost leaped into Vy’s embrace.

“Lycster! I’m home,” She chimed with a smile.

Quickly realizing it must be very confusing for Sierra, Vy quickly introduced Lycster to her.

“This is Lycster Blackfire, he’s my brother,” she introduced him to Sierra.

The young man’s demeanor changed drastically as soon as he was introduced to Sierra. He took a few steps back and hunched his shoulders. He was too shy to meet her!

“Hi there,” he said meekly, averting her gaze altogether.

“It’s great to meet you, Lycster Blackfire. I promise I don’t bite,” Sierra joked, earning a chuckle from both Vy and Dygo.

“He’s just shy with strangers. But once you get to know him, he’s a sweet boy,” Vy mused as she patted him on the shoulder.

“Sis! I’m not a boy anymore,” he huffed as he folded his arms.

This earned yet another earnest laughter from Vy, Dygo, and even Sierra. Realizing he was acting even more like a child, Lycster blushed beet red.

Vy continued to show Sierra around the house. In order to get to her blacksmithing workshop, they had to take an elevator, a contraption that was foreign to Sierra. It took her a few moments to understand how it works.

“I must seem like a fool to you,” Sierra blushed with embarrassment as she looked down at her feet.

Everything was new to her.

“Not at all!” Vy said reassuringly, “Even Alistair never got to see or experience any of this. You’re not a fool, you’re just lucky.”